Frigate Vandegrift deploying to western Pacific

The 453-foot Vandegrift was built at Todd Pacific Shipyards In Seattle.

In what could be one of its last deployments, the frigate Vandegrift will leave San Diego on Monday for a six month mission that will take the 453-foot ship to western Pacific and the Indian Ocean.

The Navy plans to decommission all of its frigates, and largely replace them with the littoral combat ships that are starting to come into service. Officials have yet to announcing a decommissioning date for Vandegrift, which will turn 28 years old in November.

"Vandegrift will be participating in Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT)- 2012. CARAT is an annual bi-lateral naval exercise series between the U.S. and Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand," the Navy said in a statement.